KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- As its run toward its 23rd consecutive NCAA playoff appearance continued, the University of Michigan's ice hockey team scored the lone third-period goal Friday night (March 15) to edge No. 9 Western Michigan, 4-3, in the first game of the best-of-three CCHA quarterfinal series at Lawson Arena.

U-M outshot Western, 30-18, and bounced back after losing leads of 2-0 and 3-2 to hand WMU only its third home loss of the season.

First, Mike Szuma(Novi, Mich.) broke up a two-on-one opportunity for WMU, and Brennan Serville(Pickering, Ontario) moved the puck quickly to Kevin Lynch(Grosse Pointe, Mich.) for a two-on-one with Di Giuseppe. Lynch passed it from the right wing to the high slot, and Di Giuseppe buried a quick wrist shot at 8:43.

Another two-on-one for WMU was thwarted when Steve Racine(Williamsville, N.Y.) made a big save, and Zach Hyman(Toronto, Ontario) took the rebound and turned a Bronco opportunity into another U-M two-on-one. Selman faked a pass and shot from the wing, making the score 2-0 with exactly two minutes left in the first stanza.

The second period featured three Bronco markers and one for the Wolverines.

Western Michigan got on the board early at 3:30 when from the high slot, Chase Balisy knocked one past Racine's right glove. Just 62 seconds later, a turnover at center ice allowed Colton Hargrove to come down the middle and let go a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circles for an unassisted goal.

U-M regained the lead at 7:13, when Jacob Trouba(Rochester, Mich.) skated into the offensive zone, faked a slap shot and used the Bronco defenseman as a screen to beat WMU goalie Frank Slobowski clean past his glove hand.

Western responded a little more than three minutes later when Mike Cichy tipped in a point shot to knot the game at 3-all.

After a scoreless first eight minutes of the third, WMU was whistled for slashing at 8:11, and U-M converted. After A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) received the puck at the point, he changed positions with Trouba, who unleashed a slap shot from just inside the right point to beat Slubowski at 9:15. It was Trouba's second of the night and 12th marker of the season.

Michigan was forced to hold on after Lynch went off for elbowing at 13:44. Racine made a few big saves but received help from the post when Shane Bersbach hit the right pipe one minute into the power play.